Speaking-tube



(No Model.) v I G. L. PEIRGE SPEAKING TUBE. No. 486,682. Patented Nov.22,1892.

laumm m3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. PEIRCE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO DAVID S. WEGG,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPEAKING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 486,682, dated November22, 1892.

Application filed February 5, 1892. Serial No. 420,435. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. PEIRCE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, and in theState of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpeaking-Tubes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inspeaking-tubes; and it consistsin the matters hereinafter described, andpointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is aside elevation of my device, showing the same applied to a line ofspeaking-tube at a point intermediate of the extremities of said tube,portions of the tube being broken away to illustrate details ofconstruction. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, takenon line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partlyin section, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevationillustrating my improvements as applied to one of the extremities of theline of speaking-tube or to a branch of the same.

In said drawings, A represents the main portion of the speaking-tube,permanently secured to the wall or other support and extending fromstory to story of a building or from one portion to another of the samestory of the building, as may be desired. Where the line ofspeaking-tube extends from one story of a building to another and it isdesired to provide one or more intermediate branches communicating withthe main tube, the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings is preferably employed. This form of my improvement comprises asection of tubing B, slidingly engaged with the main tube Aand providedwith a suitable mouthpiece O. In the particular form illustrated in Fig.1 of the drawings the main tube A is severed at the points where it isdesired to provide the branches, and the ends of said main tube areadjusted to a suitable distance apart, as shown. The section B of tubingis of a diameter to enable said section to be slipped within the openends of the main tube A and to fit snugly therein, thus rendering thesaid section with its mouthpiece 0 adjustable as to height. As a furthersupport for the adjustable section B, a suitable guide-plate F issecured to the wall or other support E, to which the main tube A isattached, said guide-plate being provided with inwardly-folded edges ff,and the sliding section B of the tubing is provided with a rib G, havinglaterally-projecting flanges g g, adapted to engage with said guideplateF beneath said folded edges ff. At the ends of the main tube, or whensaid main tube is arranged to extend horizontally from one portion toanother of the same story of a building and provided with one or morevertical branches, the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 4 ispreferably employed. This construction comprises a section B of tubing,arranged to slip into the open end of the tube A or one of the saidbranches and provided with a mouthpiece, as in the form first described.Adjacent to the end of the tube A or of the said branch a guide-plate Fis provided upon the wall or other support, said plate being providedwith folded edges f f, and the sliding section B of the tube is providedwith a rib G, having lateral flanges g 9, adapted to engage with thefolded edges of the guide-plate F, as in the form before described.

In the form of construction first described the sliding section of thetube B is provided with a short section B ,to which the mouthpiece 0 issecured, which section projects laterally from the sliding section B andin the form of construction last described the upper end of the slidingsection B is turned outwardly at an angle, as shown. I also prefer toprovide upon the branch B or the outwardly-directed end of the section Ba short sleeve (1, with which is pivotall y engaged a tubular branchD,'which is provided at its free end with an earpiece D, said branchbeing arranged to be swung'into position to fit over or against the earof the user when the device is in use and to swing down into theposition indicated in the drawings when the device is not in use.

If desired, a suitable cut-off valve d may be secured to the end of thebranch D within the branch B said valve being arranged to i I a movewith the said branch, so as to stand across the bore of said branch 13when the device is not in use and the branch D is in the position shownin the drawings, and to swing into a position at right angles theretowhen the said branch D is raised to place the earpiece D to the ear. Bythis construction the branch tubes are automatically closed by therelease of the branches D when the user is through talking and openedagain by the adjustment of the same into position for use.

By the construction of the sections of the speaking-tube to which themouthpieces are secured to move vertically the said sliding sections maybe readily moved up or down, so as to bring the mouthpieces into theproper position to suit the convenience of the user, thus enabling avery short person to bring the mouthpiece and the earpiece as wellwithin his reach, or enabling a very tall person to raise the saidsection so as to enable him to use the device without stooping.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A speaking-tube comprisinga stationary portion and a portion providedwith a mouthpiece and movably engaged with said stationary portion, saidmovable portion being also slidingly engaged with a suitable guide uponthe wall or other support to which the stationary portion is secured,substantially as described.

2. A speaking-tube comprising a stationary portion, a movable portionprovided with a. mouthpiece and adjustably engaged with said stationaryportion and having a sliding engagement with a guide located upon thewall or other support to which said stationary portion is secured, and abranch communicating with said movable portion and provided with anearpiece, substantially as described.

3. A speaking-tube comprising a stationary portion, a portion movablyengaged with said stationary portion and having sliding engagement witha suitable guide upon the wall or other support to which said stationaryportion is secured, a sleeve communicating with the bore of said movableportion, a branch pro vided with an earpiece and revolubly engaged withsaid sleeve, and a valve in said movable portion operativelyengaged withsaid branch, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, atMilwaukee,in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. PEIRCE.

Witnesses:

H. G. UNDERWOOD, JOHN E. WILES.

